Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1887-10-29
INDEPENDENT. r
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20. 1887.
TheNiss in History.

GAkilNG ffHkE MoSE DELloHIFDL Or
CAREssEs.
There was an old belief that un-
less maiden was kissed under the
mistletoe at Christmas she would
not be married duriRg the ensuing
year
When Fox was ecntesting the
hard won seat at Westminster the
beautiful Duchess Of Dovenshire
offered to kiss all who voted for the
great statesman.
In the ceremonial of betrothal q
kiss has played an important part in
several nations. A nuptual kiss in
church, at the conclusion of the mar
riage service, is soiemnly enjoined
by the York Missal and the Sarum
Manual.
The beautiful Lady Gordon, when
ranks of the Scottish regiments had
been sadly thinned by cruel Badojos
and Salamanca, turned recruiting
sergeant, and, to tempt the gallant
lads, placed the recruiting shilling
in her lips, whence each who would
might take it with his own.
In Finland, according to Bayard
Taylor, the women resent as an in
suit u salute upon the lips. A Fin
ish matron, hearing of our English
custom of kissing, declared that did
her husband attempt such q liberty
she would treat him with such box
on the ears that he should not readily
forget.
In Wesley s journal, dated June Is,
1858, is given the following descrip-
ton of a duel between two officers at
Limerick "Mr. B. proposed firing
at twelve yards, but Mr.. j. said, No,
six is enough SO they kissed one
another (poor farce y and before they
were five PAGES asunder both fired at
the Instant
The code Of Justinian says "that
if man betrothed woman by n
kiss and either party died before
marriage the heirs were entitled to
half the donations and the survivor
to the other half; but if the contract
was made without the solemn kiss,
the whole of the espousal gifts must
be restored TO the donors and their
heirs-at-law.
The Mohammedans, on their pious
pilgrimage to Mecca. kiss the sacred
black stone and the four corners of
the kaaba. The Catholic priest kisses
the aspergillum, and Palm Sunday
the palm. Kissing the Pope's toe
was fashion introduced by one of
the Leos, who it is said, had mutilat-
ed his right hand, and was too vain
to expose the stump.
In Iceland, kissing had deferred
penalties of great severity. For kiss
ing another mans wife, with or with
out her consent, the punishment of
exclusion, or its pecunary cquiva-
lent, was awarded, A man rendered
himself liable for kissing an unmarri-
ed woman under legal guardianship
without her consent. and, if the lady
consented, the law required that
every kiss should be wiped out by a
fine Of three neutrality-suspicious. to
lao ellis of wadmal-a quantity suf-
fcient to furnish a whole ships crew
with pilot jackets.
In Russia the Eastern salutation is
a kiss. Each member of the family
salutes the other; chance acquaint
ances on meeting kiss; the general
kisses his officers, the officers kiss
their soldiers; the Gar kisses his
family, retinue, court, and attendants
and even his officers on parade, the
ssntinels at the palace gates, and a
select party of private soldiers
probably deliberately prepared for
this royal salute" In other parts
the poorest serf, meeting high-born
dame on the streets, has but to say,
"Christ is Risen, and he will receive
kiss and the reply, "He has risen,
truely."
Home, in his quaint old liable
Book" gives an account of a curious
old kissing festival held in Ireland
"Faster Monday several hundred